Just google any of the women featured in the upcoming “Wisdom Goddess” photographic exhibit at Xpozur Gallery and undoubtedly you will be busy for at least half the day. Westport-based photographer Suzanne Sheridan approached the nine women with the idea of photographically representing their fiercely passionate spirit and purpose for life. Each of the women gave their permission to be part of the exhibit and each of the women has a movie-worthy story to tell. Sheridan wants this photo exhibit to demonstrate a new paradigm for aging. All the women in the exhibit are of Medicare age.
Charlene Chiang Hillman lives in Weston and is the daughter of a Chinese princess and is the recently retired Social Worker for the Town of Weston. Penny Pearlman lives in Westport and is a writer, a painter, an artist, a Flamenco dancer, and author of “Pretty Smart – Lessons from Our Miss Americas”. Marjolijn de Jager of Stamford is a survivor of the WWII Japanese internment camps on the island of Borneo and is a peace activist.
Westport’s Julie Belaga ran for governor of the State of Connecticut in 1986 on the Republican ticket and served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1974 to 1986. Fairfield’s Ingrid Bloom is a painter and a lake swimmer. Dr. Darla Shaw teaches graduates and undergraduates in literacy-based courses needed to perform in today’s classrooms at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, she plays in three bands, is the oldest senior band in the Wilton Steel Drum band and the Long Lake Kazoo band and runs drum circles for people with special needs. Dr. Dee Unterbach is a Westport-based psychotherapist, is an avid lap-swimmer, and is an advocate for the rights of the aged. Anne Fiyalka, as valedictorian of her high school class, flew with airplane pilot Amelia Earhart and is now a weaver and is in charge of the volunteers at the Easton Senior Center. Westporter Isabel Boardman practices the art of Tai Chi, is an adventuress, and was a concert singer in New York and Austria.